Earlier in the year, Flipkarts Myntra.com announced that they are going to roll back their App only sales strategy and restart their website. This has given rise to a lot of speculation on the future of mobile apps and mobile eCommerce. Are mobile apps losing their shine? Do I need a responsive website or an app or both? What is the right strategy for my mobile presence? , are just some of the many questions that need a serious thought.

Mobile apps have become extremely popular for the convenience and ease of use that they offer. The apps personalise the content and offer push notifications to send information on the latest offers. They also use the native functionalities of the smart phone such as the camera, compass, GPS and contacts to engage the customer with the app and to improve their buying experience. However, challenges such as lack of screen space, the necessity to download the app on the mobile, smart phones with limited features etc. are forcing users to uninstall the app and return back to the website. Nearly 50% of these app customers visit the website on their mobiles first and then return to the desktop version. If your website is not ready for the mobile, you are most likely to lose these customers.

Considering these challenges, companies are now showing interest on developing websites for the mobile. These websites are light weight and do not need any additional downloads for their usage and offer an app like experience to the customers.

Both mobile apps and websites have a major role to play in a customers journey. While the mobile websites help a customer to discover your business through search engines and communities, apps offer a more personalised and engaging experience to the customer. So, the right mobile strategy can only be built after thoroughly understanding your business requirements and the kind of experience that you intend to give your customers.